VAN SLYKE BIBLE 1729 in NEW YORK

The following pictures are from the Van Slyke Bible that was recently auctioned off on e-Bay. The successful bidder phoned me and after a lengthy chat, he drove up from the States to visit me here in Northern Ontario. What a great time we had! Of course he brought the Bible with him and we eagerly went through it page by page. Beautiful engravings (100 or more) fill its pages, and you can easily imagine how impressive it must have been for the Van Slyke family to gather around.

The publication date of the Bible is 1729, but the first genealogical entry that remains is dated 1794 and written by Adrian C. Van Slyke. Adrian's baptism record is found in Schenectady Reformed Dutch Church on February 07, 1779. He was 15 years old in 1793 and his handwriting (as you can see from the photos) is beautiful. He went on to become a lawyer, and we suspect that his father asked him to sit down and record the family events on the day the Bible was purchased.

Adrian's parents were Cornelis Van Slyke and Elizabeth Yates, and the Bible entries on one page start with the birth of Cornelis in 1744 and his marriage to Elizabeth.

But first let's take a look at the Bible itself. It weighs 19 pounds, and measures 18 inches by 10 1/2 inches, being 5 1/2 inches in depth. Ornamental brass fittings are seen in each corner and a close inspection reveals where two clasps held the front and back covers together. These were most likely brass to match the cover corners.